NIMCET 2023 — Computer PYQ
NIMCET | Computer | 2023Which of the following registers is used to keep track of address of the memory location where the next instruction is located?
Choose the correct answer:
- A.
Program Counter
(Correct Answer) - B.
Memory Data Register
- C.
Instruction counters
- D.
Memory Address Register
Program Counter
Explanation
The register used to keep track of the address of the memory location where the next instruction is located is the (a) Program Counter.
Explanation: The Program Counter (PC) essentially points to the next instruction in a program, telling the CPU where to fetch it from memory.
Key points about other options:
Memory Data Register (MDR):
This register stores the actual data being read from or written to memory, not the address of the memory location.
Instruction counters:
While sometimes used interchangeably with the Program Counter, "instruction counters" generally refer to a counter that tracks the number of instructions executed, not the memory address of the next instruction.
Memory Address Register (MAR):
This register holds the address of a memory location that the CPU wants to access (data can be read from or written to this location), but it doesn't specifically track the next instruction.
Explanation
The register used to keep track of the address of the memory location where the next instruction is located is the (a) Program Counter.
Explanation: The Program Counter (PC) essentially points to the next instruction in a program, telling the CPU where to fetch it from memory.
Key points about other options:
Memory Data Register (MDR):
This register stores the actual data being read from or written to memory, not the address of the memory location.
Instruction counters:
While sometimes used interchangeably with the Program Counter, "instruction counters" generally refer to a counter that tracks the number of instructions executed, not the memory address of the next instruction.
Memory Address Register (MAR):
This register holds the address of a memory location that the CPU wants to access (data can be read from or written to this location), but it doesn't specifically track the next instruction.